Have you ever felt a strange energy in your home that you can't explain? It stays there even after you clean up and get rid of clutter, blocking your peace of mind.
This force might be a Feng Shui problem called the 3 Killings, or San Sha (三煞).
The 3 Killings moves to a different part of your home each year. It brings bad energy known for causing three types of loss.
These losses are why we take it so seriously: money problems, damage to your good name, and health issues from accidents or sudden sickness.
This guide will tell you exactly where the 3 Killings are located. We will explain the rules that decide its position and give you clear steps to protect your space.
Understanding Sha Qi
The 3 Killings is a strong form of bad energy called Sha Qi (煞氣). Think of it as harsh energy that messes up the balance in your space, unlike the good energy we want.
The San Sha combines three different bad influences. Knowing about each one helps us see why the cure is so important.
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Year Sha (岁煞): This creates roadblocks and setbacks. It stops your plans, blocks progress, and can hurt your personal growth and career.
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Calamity Sha (灾煞): This energy makes accidents and sudden illness more likely. It brings danger you can't predict.
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Robbery Sha (劫煞): This leads to loss through theft or being cheated. You might lose money, get tricked in a deal, or be betrayed by someone you trust.
Remember that the 3 Killings is an annual Feng Shui affliction. It moves every year based on the Chinese Zodiac animal, so you need to check its location each year.
The Basic Theory
How do we know where the 3 Killings will be? It's not random. It follows a rule in Chinese Metaphysics called the Three Harmony Combinations (三合), also known as the Four Elemental Frames.
This system puts the twelve Chinese Zodiac animals into four groups of three. Each group links to a direction and an element.
The 3 Killings always sits in the direction opposite to the year's ruling elemental frame.
We use this table to find the location each year.
| Elemental Frame | Animal Signs (Allies) | Allied Direction | Opposing Direction (Location of the 3 Killings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Monkey, Rat, Dragon | North | South |
| Wood | Pig, Rabbit, Sheep | East | West |
| Fire | Tiger, Horse, Dog | South | North |
| Metal | Snake, Rooster, Ox | West | East |
To use this system, first find the animal sign for the coming year. For example, 2025 is the Year of the Snake.
Next, find the Snake in the table. It belongs to the Metal Frame with the Rooster and Ox. The allied direction for this frame is West.
Finally, look at the opposite direction for the Metal Frame. The direction opposite to West is East. So, the 3 Killings will be in the East for all of 2025.
This system of Three Harmony Combinations lets us prepare for the affliction well ahead of time.
The 2025 Location
For the Year of the Wood Snake, starting February 4th, 2025, the location is clear.
In 2025, the 3 Killings affliction is located in the East sector.
If you use a compass, this covers the East range from 67.6° to 112.5°.
Knowing where it is comes first. Then you need to know what to do—and what not to do. The main rule is to leave it alone.
Here are the key things to watch for in the East sector in 2025.
| CRITICAL DON'TS | RECOMMENDED DO'S |
|---|---|
| Do not do major renovations. This includes breaking ground, tearing down walls, drilling, or digging in the garden. Noise and vibration will wake up the Sha Qi. | Do keep the East sector of your home or office quiet. Don't put noisy things like printers or speakers there this year. |
| Do not sit with your back to the East. This is the worst position, as you turn your back on the affliction, making you open to betrayal. | Do try to face the East if you must sit in this sector. Facing the 3 Killings is much better than turning your back to it. |
| Avoid sleeping with your head pointing East. If your bedroom is in the East, try to move your bed so your head points in a different direction. | Do place Feng Shui cures in the East sector to calm the bad energy. This helps protect you. |
If you have a main door, bedroom, or office in the East, you need to be extra careful. Follow these rules for a smooth year.
Checking Your Home
Now let's apply this to your home. Here's how to check your space for the 3 Killings.
1. Find Your Directions
You need an accurate compass reading. Stand in the middle of your home. Use a compass app on your phone or a real compass. Find True North, and from there, you can locate the East sector of your home.
2. Map Your Space
Take a floor plan of your home. If you don't have one, make a simple sketch. Put a nine-square grid on your floor plan, lined up with the compass directions you found. This will show you which rooms fall into the East sector.
3. Check How You Use Each Room
The impact of the 3 Killings depends on how you use the space. A storage room or guest bathroom in the East is low risk. But if your main door, bedroom, home office, or kitchen is in the East, the risk is much higher because you use these areas more.
4. Look at What's Already There
Check for anything in the East sector that makes noise, movement, or vibration. This includes TVs, clocks, sound systems, doors you use often, or exercise equipment. These things can "wake up" the Sha Qi, so you may need to move them for the year if possible.
5. Make Your Plan
Now you can make smart choices. You know which areas are affected, how high the risk is, and what might make the energy worse. Your plan should be to keep the area quiet, adjust where you sit, and place the right cures.
This simple check turns general advice into a specific plan for your home.
Symbolic Cures
While the main strategy is to avoid disturbing the area, Feng Shui also offers symbolic cures to fight the bad influence of the 3 Killings. These are tools with ancient meanings.
The most traditional and effective remedy is a figure called the Three Celestial Guardians.
This cure has three mythical creatures whose combined strengths counter the threefold nature of the affliction.
The Chi Lin
The Chi Lin, or Dragon Horse, is a heavenly creature that stands for good luck, wealth, and protection. It attracts positive energy while keeping away evil spirits and bad intentions. It helps protect your reputation and brings grace.
The Fu Dog
The Fu Dog, also known as an Imperial Guardian Lion, is a symbol of courage, power, and protection. Fu Dogs are guards against harm. They stand against the Calamity Sha, protecting your home from accidents and bad luck.
The Pi Yao
The Pi Yao (or Pi Xiu) is a mythical creature known for eating treasures, which it keeps forever. It attracts wealth and prevents loss, directly fighting the Robbery Sha. The Pi Yao also helps with another yearly affliction called Tai Sui.
It's the combination of these three guardians that makes the cure so strong. They work together to fight the three threats of the San Sha. Place the Three Celestial Guardians in the East sector of your home or office for 2025, facing outward if possible.
Another common cure is a six-rod hollow metal wind chime. In Feng Shui's Five Element theory, strong, negative Wood or Earth energy (which the 3 Killings often carries) can be weakened by Metal. The sound and material of the metal chime help dissolve the Sha Qi, especially when you can't avoid renovations in the affected sector.
San Sha vs. Liu Sha
As you learn more about Feng Shui, you might hear about the "6 Killings" or Liu Sha (六煞). Many people get confused, but the 3 Killings and 6 Killings are not related.
They come from completely different Feng Shui systems and are used differently. Using the rules of one for the other can lead to wrong remedies.
This table shows the key differences.
| Feature | 3 Killings (San Sha) | 6 Killings (Liu Sha) |
|---|---|---|
| System | Annual Flying Stars (San Yuan) | Eight Mansions / 8 Aspirations (Ba Zhai) |
| Nature | Transient: Changes location every year based on the Zodiac. | Fixed: Based on your birth data and the house's orientation. It does not change yearly. |
| Impact | Affects everyone in a space, as it is tied to a direction in the building itself. | Is personal to you. Your 6 Killings direction is different from someone with another birth year. |
| Location | Occupies a broad 90-degree sector (e.g., East in 2025). | Occupies one of the eight specific 45-degree sectors, determined by your personal Kua number. |
| Concerns | Loss of wealth, reputation, health; obstacles and accidents. | Legal issues, betrayal, relationship problems, scandals, and complications. |
The 3 Killings (San Sha) is a yearly, universal affliction within a property. We find it and cure it for the year.
The 6 Killings (Liu Sha) is one of the four "unlucky" directions in the Eight Mansions (Ba Zhai) system. To find your personal Liu Sha direction, you must first calculate your Kua Number, which comes from your birth year and gender. Once you know your Kua number, you can find your four good and four bad directions, with Liu Sha being one of the bad ones.
Understanding this difference shows deeper knowledge. Always be clear about which system you're using to make sure your Feng Shui works correctly.
A Balanced Approach
Working with Feng Shui energies, especially strong ones like the 3 Killings, is about awareness, not fear.
We've learned that the San Sha is a predictable, yearly energy shift. Its location follows time-tested formulas, not chance. The main way to handle it is simple: leave the area alone.
By finding the affected sector, taking simple precautions, and placing the right symbolic cures, you're not fighting energy. You're showing respect for it and skillfully guiding the harmony of your space.
Use this knowledge to empower yourself, not to worry. By taking these steps, you are creating a safer, more supportive, and more prosperous space for yourself and your loved ones in the year ahead.
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